Turpin Hero Songtext

von Ewan McColl

On Hounslow Heath as I rode o'er
I spied a lawyer riding before.
"Kind sir," said I, "ain't you afraid,
Of Turpin, that mischievous blade?"
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
Said Turpin, "He'd ne'er find me out
I've hid my money in my boot."
Says the lawyer, "There's none can find
Me gold for it's stitched in me cape behind."
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
As they rode down by the powder mill
Turpin commands him to be still;
Says he, "Your cape I must cut off,
For my mare she wants a saddle cloth."
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
As Turpin rode in search of prey
He met an excise man on the way
Then boldly he did bid him stand
Your gold he said I do demand
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
Turpin then without remorse
Soon knocked him quite from off his horse
And left him on the ground to sprawl
So he rode off with his gold and all
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
So he rode over Salisbury Plain
He met lord judge with all his train
Then hero-like he did approach
And robbed the judge as he sat in his coach
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
For the shooting of a dung-hill cock
Poor Turpin now at last he's took
And carried straight into a jail
Where his ill luck he does bewail
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O
Now Turpin is condemned to die
To hang upon yon gallows high
His legacy is a strong rope
For stealing a poor dung-hill cock
O rare Turpin hero
O rare Turpin O